Pet owners know that part of being a responsible pet owner is providing for their pet's needs. Cats are popular domestic pets, and like many other pets, they spend time indoors. Most cat owners provide a litter box in the home. The litter box serves as a place for the cat to relieve themselves. The litter box is filled with cat litter. Cat litter is available in many brands and can vary by function. Types of cat litter include specially treated recycled paper; all natural litter, so if the cat eats it, the cat will not be sickened; and other types that serve a specific purpose. For example, there is cat litter containing an additive that changes color depending on the acidity of the cat's urine and is used for determining if the cat has a urinary tract infection. Cat litter has numerous other and more common functions. Mainly, it helps eliminate the odor from feces and urine and therefore helps keep the home from smelling like cat waste. Cat litter is usually composed of many individual particles or granules. The individual granules clump together in the presence of urine or feces, absorbing the fluids and odor. The clumping ability varies by litter type and, because of its importance, clumping can be a selling point for pet owners.
The odor reduction extends the time between cleanings. However, eventually the continued use of the litter box overwhelms the cat litter. Therefore, the litter must be frequently cleaned and fresh litter added or the litter must be dumped and replaced. For litter boxes having clumping litter, cleaning the litter box consists essentially of removing the clumps of urine and feces. The clumping action of the litter is important to cat owners because it makes cleaning less difficult. In particular, hard clumps make cleaning the litter box easier. The simplest way to remove the clumps of waste is to dig each of the clumps out with a spoon. A harder clump is more durable and resists break down when handled. In any event, digging out the waste clumps becomes a never-ending, dirty task.
There remains an unfulfilled need to provide a cat litter cleaning system which is cost effective to manufacture, easy and convenient to use, reduces the time spent cleaning cat waste out of the litter, and is hygienically designed.